Cricket
Droitwich fight to avoid defeat

Buy photos » Droitwich’s Matt Biggs bends his back against Astwood Bank. 2412012MMR2

A DOGGED Droitwich display some them hold on for a Worcestershire League Division One losing draw at home against Astwood Bank on Saturday.

Returning captain Martyn Davies decided to bowl first after winning the toss but the visitors got off to a solid start with Jon Summers (27) impressing, despite the best efforts of debutant Calvin Van Vuuren.

Astwood Bank had moved on to 72 by the time the two openers departed but that brought the hard hitting Stephen Adshead and Alex Robinson together.

They had taken the total to 148 before Martin Woodward made the breakthrough, having Robinson (41) caught by Chris Dew with 15 overs to go.

Opening bowler Matt Biggs then returned to remove Adshead, caught by Stuart Bryan, for 48 and Spa continued to pick up regular wickets until the end of the innings.

Tom Harris added a quickfire 23 at the end of the innings to push the final total to 225-8 with Woodward returning 4-78 and Van Vuuren 2-39.

The hosts made their customary fluent start in reply but an opening partnership of 37 between Bryan (9) and Davies (21) quickly became 51-3 as a result of some probing bowling.

Runs were particularly hard to come by off spinners Summers (3-34) and Dan Thomas (1-18), both of whom found sharp turn on a drying wicket.

Droitwich threatened their target briefly with David Lane and Ian Cottrill (22) scoring a flurry of boundaries.

But when Lane was dismissed by Harris for a well made 34, Spa sensibly decided to bat out for a draw, closing on 150-6.

Spa slip down to sixth in the table as a result but remain within one win of leaders Pershore ahead of their trip to Worcester Nomads tomorrow.

BELBROUGHTON had to settle for a losing draw in Division Two as they closed on 204-9 in reply to Rushwick’s 211-5.

Chaddesley Corbett lost by five wickets at Alveley after being dismissed for 106 in trying to surpass the hosts’ 108-5.

Avoncroft picked up a 69-run success at Martley. The visitors reached 191-9 from their 50 overs and bowled the home side out for 122 with five balls of the match remaining to gain a fifth win in six matches.

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